Time for Liverpool to cash in on troubled striker

Injury-prone player could spell trouble for the Reds

Daniel Sturridge has suffered yet another injury setback for Liverpool, this time a few hours before he was set for Europa League action against Bordeaux.

This is his fourth injury of 2015 and his 17th overall during his time at the Reds, with the England man spending more time in the physio room than on the pitch.

To make matters worse, the knocks that are keeping him from playing are often in the same area, with the hip/thigh and ankle/foot regions being the most persistent problems.

This seems to suggest that this could be a lingering and continuing issue, with getting Sturridge fit enough to pass a medical then cashing in on him the best option for Jurgen Klopp.

Obviously the 26-year-old is an integral part of the team when fit and has proved himself to be a quality striker for the Reds.

His 42 goals in 69 appearances demonstrate this, but the troubling number in this regard is the amount of games he has played.

Having joined in January 2013, he is nearing three years at Anfield and that means an average of 23 games a year across all competitions.

Therefore, it is clear that Sturridge can’t be relied on to contribute for a whole season and Klopp should look to offload him as he seeks to build the Reds in his image.

Looking back on the Premier League over the years, there’s a catalogue of players that stayed on at teams despite persistent injury problems leading to losses being made by the club.

Abou Diaby signed for Arsenal for £2million and rarely made an impression on the first-team during his spell in north London, with the French midfielder being released at the end of last season.

Kieron Dyer is another example of injury ruining a side’s investment, with the current jungle campmate costing West Ham United £450,000 per appearance after his transfer to Upton Park in 2007.

He never played a full 90 minutes for the Hammers and they decided to cut their losses on the former England international in 2011 when he was released from his £60,000 per week contract.

These examples prove that the longer you wait for a player to recover, the less you will get for said injured squad member and Liverpool should look to cash in on Sturridge when he is in a position to be moved on.

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After a brief stint as a commentator, Dan took his passion for football into writing and went on to gain an NCTJ in sports journalism. A lifelong Walsall fan, he's followed the Saddlers through the highs, getting to Wembley for the first time ever last season, and the lows, namely relegation to League Two in 2006.

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